My grandmother's stuffed cabbage

My grandmother's stuffed cabbage
From: FairyChatMom

1# ground beef
2/3 C cooked rice
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 small onion, chopped and sauteed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 head of cabbage

Allow the rice and onion to cool, then mix the first 6 ingredients together.

Scald the cabbage leaves and trim off the heavy ribs. (Get some water boiling in a big pot, and put in the cabbage head. As the leaves get limp, use a sharp knife to sever them from the core, and put them in a collander to drain. After they cool a bit, trim off the ribs.)

Line a large heavy pot or crock pot with the outer leaves (they're kinda tough anyway.) Then take some of the meat mixture, form it into a largish egg-shape, and roll in a cabbage leaf. Pack the rolls tightly into the pan. Salt and dot with butter. You can also add chunks of potatoes as you layer the rolls. Add water about halfway up the pot, place any remaining cabbage on top, and cover.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Be careful not to let the cabbage burn - it'll infuse the whole batch. Or turn on the crock pot and cook for a few hours till done.

Definitely better the second day. And they freeze beautifully.

I know some folks dump 'mater sauce over the rolls, but my grandmother never did that, so I don't either.